Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
other plants crowd them. As spinach is a leaf crop it will appreciate a feed with
comfrey tea (see Chapter 11, page 178) from time to time.
Harvesting and storage
As the plants grow, gradually thin them to 25cm each way. Thinnings of any size
are great in salads, but nip them off at ground level so you don't disturb the root
systems of the remaining plants. Once the final plants are big enough, harvest
them by cutting individual leaves. These will wilt quickly, so have a damp plastic
bag ready to put them into. In warmer weather, harvest only in the cool of the
morning.
Freshly cut leaves will keep in the fridge for a few days, so long as they don't dry
out. For longer-term storage, the young leaves can be cut into strips and steamed
for one-and-a-half minutes before drying (a handy soup ingredient) or freezing
in meal-sized portions.
Problems
Slugs
. If you're collecting seeds, beware of
mice
- they will strip the plant of all
seeds before they're ripe enough for collection (see Chapter 9, page 166).
Strawberries
Varieties:
'Honeoye', 'Aromel'
Strawberries are many people's favourite fruit, and are easy to grow and maintain
outside. Available as early, mid-season and late varieties, strawberry plants are
hardy and will grow without protection, and in that respect there is no need to
plant them in a tunnel. However, if you can't wait for the outside harvest to
begin, you can use early varieties in your tunnel to produce fruit three weeks
ahead of plants outside. You can also use a fourth type of strawberry, the 'day-
neutral' (or 'ever-bearer') to provide a slow but steady supply of fruit until
November, even if the flavour isn't in the same league as some June-bearers.
Preparation
Strawberries prefer slightly acidic conditions, which are difficult to achieve on
neutral or alkaline soils, but fortunately for us they will tolerate a much wider
range. They appreciate well-rotted compost, especially if it has been dug into the earth
during the previous season, and will then produce more fruit and fewer leaves.
